


In Which

by MoonWitch96



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, Completely Ignores Anything After Avengers, Cultural Differences, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, F/M, Friendship, Kinda May/December Romanace, Romance, Steve is A War Vet, The Past Is Another Culture, WWII mentions, generational gap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29065578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonWitch96/pseuds/MoonWitch96
Summary: In which a series of misunderstandings and generation barriers make things difficult for a certain Captain.
Relationships: Darcy Lewis & Steve Rogers, Darcy Lewis & The Avengers, Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers, Jane Foster & Darcy Lewis
Comments: 6
Kudos: 125





	1. In Which First Impressions Are Not The Best

**In Which First Impressions Are Not The Best**

When Steve Rogers first met Darcy Lewis, his first thought had been:

_So this was a modern dame._

It wasn't exactly a good thought or a particularly kind one.

It had been a touch of surprise, a touch of unease and discomfort going through him as he thought it.

Because he had been unprepared, and somewhat blindsided by the meeting, and because he was very much still the little guy from Brooklyn that constantly put his foot in his mouth when he was uncomfortable.

Darcy Lewis had come in with Doctor Jane Foster, _Thor's girl,_ a joint package, apparently. Brought directly to the Tower in the aftermath of the attack on New York. He knew nothing of her, just knew she worked with the lovely Doctor who Thor had mentioned off-handedly before he left and had asked Tony Stark to bring in.

He just knew that the girl trailing after the Doctor was probably the youngest thing in the room and that she kinda looked really out of place.

And she looked bored.

Dark blue eyes half-lidded behind chunky, thick frames, make-up a dark pointed slash like a cat, muted lavenders, mouth a ripe scarlet and plump.

Typing away on her cellular phone, chipped varnish a brilliant red with splotches of yellow like a lightning bolt on her thumbs so quick he would have thought her to have some sort of super-power herself. Her chewing gum had been a brilliant green, the mint a sharp tang to his enhanced senses. Loud sounds blasting away her eardrums via tiny little speakers, a song that made his ears hot. Some blasting beat that sounded too harsh to him, too foreign and unlike the music he had been listening to just a few months ago.

Darcy Lewis had looked around in vague interest to the communal floor of the Avenger's tower, eyes lingering on the high vaulted ceilings and clean walls and spacious room, before quickly returning to her phone. She only really put it away when she was closer, stuffing it in her back pocket when Tony lead the two women over to be introduced, his smile exuberant as he and the two petite dames reached the coaches that for once the team were using.

The younger woman had popped out just one of the little speakers and gave a small wave to every one of them even before Stark started naming them by their real names.

She snarked at Tony when he made a vague comment of her... Curvacious figure, her hands landing akimbo on her hips. She made the crass billionaire laugh as they suddenly started to exchange verbal barbs, and it was obvious that the young woman, whom he still didn't know her name, was on par with Tony's type of humor. It didn't make him really eager to talk, but he found himself standing up to be introduced once the younger one of the women had stopped verbally sparring with the billionaire. Anything less than that would have shamed his mother after all.

"Captain Steve Rogers ma'ams," he had said, somewhat stiffly. A mixture of military formality and lingering uncertainty of being in front of pretty women that he doubts he will ever shake.

The good Doctor had given him a vague smile, mumbling her name as she scribbled away in a leather-bound journal. Pretty, soft, with clear eyes that were a lot more direct than her slight appearance would be lent to believe had focused on him for a fraction of a second before she returned back to her journal. Miss Darcy Lewis however had given him a once over and smiled a smile that was all teeth. It was a little nerve-wracking really, the way her dark blue eyes shone from behind her clunky glasses.

"Darcy Lewis and I like you _Kaptien_!" said the young woman, saluting, and he was very surprised to see that she did it correctly, something that most civilians didn't do. He wondered at the fake accent at the end and was startled with laughter from Clint.

"Was that a Star Trek reference?" asked the younger man, his blue eyes glittering.

Steve found himself frowning. Another popular culture thing that the archer had mentioned that he had to see when he had been confused over his and Stark's remarks over it a few weeks ago.

"Live long and prosper, dude," said the girl, grinning her fingers doing a strange sign. Pair of fingers pressed together in a 'V' shape.

"You are my new favorite person. After Pepper," said Tony, a grin coming upon his face as he did the sign as well, flashed it with glee.

"Status accepted. I expect a badge that says so," said the girl seriously.

The billionaire laughed and went off to do something else when his phone beeped.

When the girl turned to Natasha, she blinked and stared at her hair. The older woman gave the younger woman a glance over, from her chunky boots to the woolen sweater on her torso. She didn't smile, but there was a strange gleam in her emerald eyes that looked almost pleasant.

"You're smoking hot, and I bet you could kick everyone's asses on a regular basis," said Darcy, grinning ear to ear as she went over to the older woman, crossing her arms as she stared at her.

Natasha said nothing and only raised a brow.

"You just made me proud to have lady parts, go _you_ ," she said firmly. Steve was surprised to find that the girl earned a small twitch of the stoic woman's lips at that.

When the girl moved over to Doc Bruce Banner, he winced, thinking that it would be oil on water. Bomabstically forward girl and the mellow Doctor? _Opposite_ _and obviously really different._ Her blue eyes however just looked at the Doc, not saying a word and her lips pursing slightly as the Doc looked back with nervous dark eyes. He was utterly shocked when the girl just took one full look at him and embraced him. Tightly. Brought her short arms to crush the taller man straight into her body.

Everyone, including Doctor Foster, looked shocked at the action.

"Darcy!" exclaimed the woman, looking up from her journal. The younger woman didn't say a word as she let go of the Doc and walked over to her boss as if nothing had happened.

"Come on, I bet you ten bucks our rooms have hot tubs," said the woman, and both were lead away by JARVIS.

Neither of the four people in the room had much to say, the two masters spied leaving almost as soon as the new arrivals did, and when Steve looked at the Doctor, he was surprised at his somewhat shocked look.

"I kinda needed that," said the Doc, slowly, before he got up suddenly and ran off to his lab.

Steve's overall impression was that the two women would screw up the dynamic of the Tower.

Or at least, the younger one would. He had no idea how right he was.


	2. In Which Age Is Shown

**In Which Age Is Shown**

Darcy Lewis was currently swinging her legs, bare of anything except for a silver of denim that she had proudly called daisy dukes. Steve had seen a woman in less, had seen things that short before, the modern age hadn't invented short-shorts. The gals in his USO show had really desensitized him to the whole aspect of a dame wearing something that curved so close to their behind. But he had felt flustered by the little shake she had done when she had entered the room, tray with food and drinks for the 'Science Three', carefully perched on both of her arms.

 _She does that a lot,_ Steve had noticed. Fed Tony Stark and Bruce Banner and Jane Foster, kept them company, did notes. Organized when their backs were turned. Sprayed water on them come what she deemed to be 'bedtime'. Darcy Lewis took care of people. In subtle ways. Always a step behind them, always seemingly knowing what they needed.

Or at least, the people who frequented a lab.

Perched now on some complex machine, short legs dangling, she was busy talking with the two men, her arms moving wildly. Every other word was punched with her nudging the trays towards the scientist with her converse clad foot or her laughter. Her laughter was loud, alive. She tended to snort a lot, too, mouth wide in a smile, always seemingly with too many teeth. Her boss, Doctor Foster was mumbling next to the young woman fixing the circuitry of the machine Darcy was perched on, while she slapped away Tony's 'helping' hand whenever it would wander over. And wordlessly accepting some sort of pastry into her mouth when Darcy would aim it, uncannily, without looking, into her waiting lips.

Steve had come to ask a question but had paused when he had seen Darcy enter with the food, lingering in the opposite doorway that she had entered. When their work had continued, without pause for the food, he had been a little confused but watched them for a moment. It seemed as if the three scientists and their assistant were oblivious to the world beyond their spectrum of work-

"So, Superman versus the Hulk, who do you think would win?" asked Darcy Lewis, calmly looking at her nails, chipping away at the bright green polish as she shuffled papers that Tony had tossed to her, without looking up from the interface in front of him.

_Okay, so maybe they've moved past their work._

Doc Banner looked up with a sort of bemused expression he wore often around the young dame.

"Hulk," said Tony without a thought still not even looking away from his interface. He said it around a mouthful of a sandwich.

"Well, I counter with Superman," said Doctor Foster, with a small grunt as she wretched something into place on the machine in front of her. Her delicate face was screwed up in concentration, seemingly utterly in focus.

Tony startled, swallowed, and swiveled to look up at the small woman.

"You've never been in a room with the big guy, have you?"

"No, but I have _read_ Superman. No offense Bruce, but he had unlimited power as long as the sun is out."

"None taken. Superman would crème me," replied the Doc, wryly, his mouth a sort of grin, but still seemingly uncomfortable as he took a hasty sip of his tea.

"Okay, that's two for Superman, and one for the hulk," counted off Darcy off of her fingers, frowning.

"I say that the Hulk would win. All Superman can do is leap over buildings and pummel people. Hulk can do that and has the advantage of size," spoke up Steve, without really meaning to, thinking back to his old comic book collection.

Everyone stared at him as if they had just noticed him. Tony burst out laughing.

"What's the last issue you read?" he asked, chuckling.

Steve straightened slightly at his superior tone. Four sets of eyes lingered on him. And he found a slight hint of heat lingering on his cheeks, and he thanked turning into a super-soldier had taken his tendency to turn into a tomato when he was flustered.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked.

He ignored the way that Darcy was looking at him, obviously on the edge of laughter, lips pressed firmly together as if to hold it in.

"It's just a question Steve," said the Doc, soothingly.

"I think it was the World's Fair one?"

Silence met his statement.

"Hey Keptin, your age is showing," pipped up Darcy, a grin on her face, and Steve felt his face flush further.

He gave an uncomfortable shrug, asked Doc Banner his question, and slipped out of the lap.

He ignored how her laughter, so loud and unladylike echoed in his ears hours afterward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: 12 February 2021


	3. In Which A Fierce Battle Is Fought

**In Which A Fierce Battle Is Fought**

Steve Rogers really did not really know how to act around a dame.

It wasn't because he was shy of them, exactly. _Maybe before, when he had been a little guy from Brooklyn when he was constantly overlooked for his size._ He had spent all of his life around women. _Strong women, beautiful and fierce._ _His mother, Bucky's sisters, the USO girls... Peggy._ But he was more unsure what to do _now. The rules were different, slang off._ He wasn't quite sure what to do in this new social setting. Modernity wasn't just new tech, different clothes or sometimes being confused. All the things that he thought normal and polite and just plan _manners_ were different. And he found it difficult to speak to anyone, and woman especially seemed to be a mine-field for him. _Can't say that, don't do that._ It was a learning curve, and though Steve was a quick study, he needed more time. _Needed to readjust to the lack of urgency of technical peacetime America so long after the cause I had been fighting went away, needed time to understand really what he had lost._

Strangely, it seemed like he had been given that. Tony Stark more or less had given him a floor, _a floor not a room,_ in his tower, a reasonable budget for living, and a carte blanc to the internet. And encouragement to 'ignore S.H.I.E.L.D. for his own sanity.' It did come with some rules- which mainly was a distinct implication should the world need them, the Avengers would assemble. And that may be walking around and talking to his teammates would be a good idea. And teammates meant interacting with everyone who worked with them.

Strangely, Steve was especially nervous about Miss Darcy Lewis. She was, after all, a dame, and Steve didn't know how to talk to a gal, let alone one that had insulted him. What was worst, it seemed that Darcy Lewis was oblivious to his very existence, and her words to him hadn't been said in malicious. Of course, most of her time was spent herding around the scientist of the building to where ever they were needed, so it was fair to say that her job was demanding enough that she had no time to bother with anyone but Jane Foster, Bruce Banner, and Tony Stark.

Still, somehow, he always did catch her talking offhandedly to Clint or Natasha, or even talking shop with the lovely Ms. Potts.

Really, the young woman talked to everyone who lived in the Avengers' Tower save for himself.

It didn't really bother him per se, in fact, he was relieved to not deal with too many people. _He needed more time alone, more time understanding **everything.**_ But, still, he had to wonder why she would bother to ignore him in the first place. He didn't think he had insulted her in any way, and as far as he knew, she had nothing against him. She hadn't meant to be insulting. It had been an off-handed joke. maybe he was being overly sensitive... Yet, she still, did not even look twice at him. It was a strange experience for him. Ever since the serum, he had been looked at. Gawked at. For Darcy Lewis, it seemed to not even to have crossed her mind.

"Oh Shit!" with expert grace, Steve caught Darcy Lewis around the waist to prevent her from falling to a certain injury, after she had attempted to climb the kitchen countertops to get some pot or another from the top cabinet.

It clattered to the ground.

Dark blue eyes blinked and Steve's did as well as they locked. She squeezed her hands slightly on his biceps, warm and impossibly small.

"Oh, thanks Keptin, saved my ass there," she said, a touch breathless. With more ease than he had thought possible, the young woman slipped out of his hold around her waist, landing with a spring in her step.

She turned back to him, her converse squeaking on the title.

"Your Welcome Miss Lewis," he replied with a nod, awkwardly dropping his held-out arms.

He thinks this was only the second time they had spoken, and there was nothing in her voice or body language that indicated any discomfort on her part. She grinned, all teeth. Her nose scrunched. Blithe. Easy and informal.

"None of that. Call me Darcy," with that, she grabbed the fallen pot and placed it on her head. She saluted to him, just like before, grinning even wider.

She then went off screaming at the top of her lungs, grabbing a toy gun proclaiming 'nerf' as her weapon from the countertop, just as Tony came around the corner, his own 'nerf' gun in his arms.

He was promptly ignored by the two supposed adults as they went on in a fierce battle.

_Yeah. Don't get this century at all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: 26 FEBRUARY 2021


	4. In Which Knitting Is Odd

**In Which Knitting Is Odd**

_Darcy Lewis is easily the most confusing person I have ever met,_ Steve Rogers thought, plainly.

It wasn't that she was a very complicated person. The girl herself had described herself as three things; a glorified babysitter, sarcasm, and... A great rack. All things objectively Steve could understand. But, really, for such a simple person, the girl really did through him for a loop. _Like now,_ he thought.

She was knitting.

Now, that wasn't strange in itself, he had known plenty of people who knit. It was an easy hobby once you got the hang of it, and as old as the thought felt, back in his day, it had been very practical. Rebbeca, Bucky's sister, had been a wiz at it, and many New York's winters had been spent in her socks and sweaters. But knitting was usually a stationary, very calm activity.

Darcy Lewis didn't seem to do calm, as a rule. At least, not calm for herself.

Her knitting was in fact done upsidedown.

Hanging from one of the rafters of the lab.

Her thighs were straddling a particularly thick steel beam. Her hair, dark and an unruly mass of brown was hanging down, her earbuds hanging around her neck and blasting music, loud enough that she could hear it without having them in there. And she was silently mouthing out the count of her stitches.

"Oh, Darcy, knitting again?" asked Doctor Foster, looking up from her work too rummaged through a box full of spare parts.

She ignored the strange position her ex-intern was in. Or considering all of the knitwear the young woman seemed to make, perhaps this was all too common for Darcy Lewis.

"Yup," said the young dame, popping the 'p'.

The scientist looked at her for a fraction of a second, and her brows furrowed. Her gaze was intense, and for such a small woman, she had a piercing stare. The fact that the young woman ignored her gaze only made it seem even more bizarre.

"Make me a new scarf would you? I like that color," said the older woman finally, and she went back to her work.

"Can do."

Steve decided the best course of action was to leave the equations the Doc had left him to give on his desk, and retreated as fast as he could. Maybe Darcy Lewis wasn't the only confusing person in the tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: 05 MARCH 2021

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: 29 January 2021
> 
> This is an old story that I started WAAY back in 2014 on fanfiction. This is my revamped/edited version.
> 
> Link to the old more raw chapters here:  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10037668/1/In-Which


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